Adam Sandler Unseats Tom Cruise

A big surprise overtook the box office this weekend: Sandler's "Mr. Deeds," loathed by critics, takes the crown and betters "Minority Report."

By Stephen M. Silverman

Originally posted Monday July 01, 2002 11:20 AM EDT

Though critics held their collective nose, Adam Sandler's latest comedy, "Mr. Deeds," topped the weekend box-office list, even knocking Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg's "Minority Report" out of its No. 1 position, according to movie-studio estimates. In fact, the dark sci-fi movie slipped to third place, beaten by its toughest competition from last weekend, the Disney animated feature "Lilo & Stitch." ("Report," which reportedly cost $102 million, squeaked ahead of that one last weekend.) Not that Cruise is suffering; his movie has so far taken in an estimated $73.5 million. As for "Mr. Deeds," which cost a relatively modest $55 million, including the $20 million salary for Sandler, the film still doesn't measure up to Sandler's two biggest openings, notes Reuters. Those were "Big Daddy" ($41.5 million in June 1999) and "The Waterboy" ($39.4 million in November 1998). Then again, it sure beats his last big feature, "Little Nicky," which took in only $16 million its first weekend in November 2000. This weekend's Top 10 is as follows:

1. "Mr. Deeds," $37.6 million
2. "Lilo & Stitch," $22.2 million
3. "Minority Report," $21.6 million
4. "Scooby-Doo," $12.2 million
5. "The Bourne Identity," $10.8 million
6. "Hey Arnold! The Movie," $6 million
7. "The Sum of All Fears," $4.8 million
8. "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood," $4 million
9. "Windtalkers," $3.6 million
10. "Star Wars: Episode II -- Attack of the Clones," $3.56 million